A practical checklist for anything you should back up or check before wiping and reinstalling Windows, or switching to Linux. Covers user directories, AppData, browser data, password managers, license keys, MFA recovery codes, Docker Desktop volumes, WSL 2 files, saved games, custom drivers, and Windows settings. Also offers general tips like cloning your drive first, using a backup script (with an rsync-based example), disconnecting similar drives to avoid formatting the wrong one, and testing your installer USB beforehand.
Questions this post answers
What should I back up before reinstalling Windows?
Back up everything in your user directory including the hidden AppData folder, browser bookmarks/passwords/extensions, password manager data, license keys, MFA/2FA recovery codes, saved games, custom driver settings, WSL 2 directories like ~/.ssh and ~/.config, and Docker Desktop volumes. Also note your current Windows version for troubleshooting after the reinstall. Developers planning a clean OS reinstall track migration checklists like this one on daily.dev.
What Linux tools can replace common Windows apps like IrfanView and foobar2000?
IrfanView can be replaced with mpv for viewing images and videos, and foobar2000 can be replaced with rmpc for music playback on Linux. A ready-to-go Linux desktop setup with these kinds of tool swaps, plus documentation for installing Arch Linux, is available through the DotFriedRice project. Developers switching from Windows to Linux compare tool replacements like these on daily.dev.